Cold Soups for Hot Weather

Editor’s Note from Michelle Gregg, All Things Healing Senior Editor: If you’ve never tried chilled soups you are in for a real treat. I resisted cold soups myself for many years, but once I realized how easy they are to make and how cooling and TASTY they are, they’ve become a summertime staple around here. Hope to make some converts…

The magical cauldron of hot soups, broths and stocks on a cold night – and chicken soup (or miso) to “cure what ails you” – is what most of us have in our minds when we think of soups. But when it’s 90 degrees in the shade, a cold soup might be just the healing choice. The healing value of soup includes weight loss – statistics show that if you eat a bowl of soup at least once a day you are more likely to lose more weight than those who eat the same amount of calories but don’t eat soup – and detoxification – as a liquid, soup is already helping you flush waste from your body. It also helps replenish your body with essential minerals. With the fruits and vegetables available now at our farmer’s markets and in our gardens, why not try a few super cool soups? You’ll find 4 recipes here:

Easy Gazpacho
(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

3 tomatoes, chopped

2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped

½ red onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

4 cups vegetable cocktail juice

Preparation:
In a large glass bowl, combine all ingredients mix gently. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to blend flavors. Serve chilled, with crusty whole wheat bread for a light meal.

Next: Chilled Green Soybean Soup

Chilled Green Soybean Soup
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

3 1/3 tablespoons mirin (fermented rice condiment)

4 cups water

2 tablespoons natural sea salt

3 cups edamame (podded green soybeans)

3/4 cup katsuo dashi (bonito stock – vegetable stock can be substituted but will give a different flavor)

1 teaspoon sugar

3 1/3 tablespoons milk

pinch natural sea salt

4 sprigs chervil

Directions:
Put mirin in a saucepan and boil off the alcohol content to leave about 2 tablespoons. Cool and reserve.

Bring the water and sea salt to a boil in a large pot of water over high heat and boil soybeans for 5 minutes. Drain and plunge into a bowl of iced water. When completely cooled, drain and pat dry.

Peel the thin skin off the beans. Set 4 beans aside to garnish, then puree the remainder in a blender with the stock. Add mirin, sugar, and milk and continue to blend. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve and mash any remaining bits. Taste and add salt if necessary. Chill.

Pour chilled soup into cups and float one soybean and a sprig of chervil in each if desired for garnish.

Next: Cucumber and Avocado Soup

Cucumber and Avocado Soup
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 cucumber

1 avocado

2 green onions

Juice of 1 lime

1 cup plain or soy yogurt

1 cup water

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Roughly chop the cucumber, avocado and green onions and toss in the blender.